Ex-Chelsea physio Eva Carneiro now owns football club years after row with Jose Mourinho

It's becoming more and more common for backroom staff in football to become household names.

From photographer Stuart MacFarlane being snapped on the pitch by Martin Odegaard, to Eddie Howe's No. 2 at , Jason Tindall, going viral at every opportunity.

But few have made such a splash on our back and front pages as former team doctor Eva Carneiro, who famously faced the wrath of the self-proclaimed 'Special One' , following a controversial incident during a 2015 match against Swansea. In a game that had already seen Blues goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois see red, Eden Hazard went down injured following an Ashley Williams tackle late in the game.

The Chelsea physios ran past Mourinho and onto the pitch to take the Belgian off, enraging the manager, as it would leave his side down to nine men. After the game, Mourinho angrily claimed Hazard’s injury wasn’t serious, criticising the medical team for not understanding the situation.

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Carneiro, who also briefly worked at as well as with Team GB, left Chelsea the following September, and pursued legal action against the club, ultimately reaching a settlement reportedly worth £5million.

Following the incident, Carneiro's interest in football waned, and the Gibraltar-born doctor says she couldn't bring herself to watch a match until the final the following year.

However, Carneiro has clearly fallen back in love with the sport, having become a part owner of East Sussex side Lewes FC. Lewes' men play in the Isthmian , with the women's side playing their football in the Championship. The club, which was founded back in 1885, also boasts tennis coach Judy Murray as a co-owner.

Speaking about her involvement with Lewes, a community-run club aiming to be 'the first gender equal club in the ', Carneiro confessed her admiration for the way Lewes is run.

"Love the beautiful game and football has such power," she said. "Imagine using it for good. Imagine finding a club with values as the centre of its ethos. I’m a proud owner..."

As well as becoming a club co-owner, Carneiro has also worked as a sports specialist in a top Harley Street clinic, and worked in in the build-up to the 2022 World Cup.

The 50-year-old married polar explorer and businessman Jason De Carteret in 2015. But it's unlikely you'll see the couple back at Stamford Bridge watching a game any time soon, with her heart firmly with Lewes these days.